Without a crystal ball to consult, tri-town officials aren’t sure what 2014 will bring. But, in Mattapoisett, they’re looking forward to the continuation of 2013’s building boom. In Rochester, Selectmen are hope to create a more vibrant business district. In Marion, there’s expectation that a big road-and-sewer project in the village will finally get under way.

Here’s a town-by-town look at what officials hope the New Year will bring.

Construction in Mattapoisett

In Mattapoisett, 2013 brought a lot of new residential construction and there are no signs of a slowdown, said Building Inspector Andy Bobola.

“In years past, things generally slow down [in December]...This year we’ve seen, like it’s been all year, just a huge influx of permits, and it hasn’t stopped,” he said.

December saw permits go out for two new houses at the Bay Club on Route 6 as well as two new condominiums at the senior housing development Mattapoisett Landing, also on Route 6.

“That’s on the heels of an extremely busy November,” said Bobola, who already had a stack of new permits for construction work on his desk in mid-December.

According to Bobola, the town took in at least $250,000 for plumbing, gas, electrical and building permits In 2013, “which for a small community is a very busy year.”

A rush of recent activity with the Zoning Board of Appeals and Conservation Commission foreshadows many more projects to come in 2014, he said.

“When you look at those activities, there’s no end in sight,” Bobola said. “New growth helps us increase in taxes...which is good for everyone.”

The town will also see construction of solar farms. A private development on Tinkham Lane is scheduled to break ground in the spring. Town officials are also working on getting a small array of solar panels up and running at the town transfer station.

Highway Surveyor Barry Denham said improvement to roads will continue this year. Some of the side roads off North Street will be repaved, and plans are in the works to replace culverts on part of Acushnet Road.

Rochester roads and more

After saving state highway funds for three years, Rochester Town Administrator Rich LaCamera said the town has $1.5 million to spend on road improvements.

“That’s a substantial amount of money that’s been sitting there for a while,” he said.

Each year the town is awarded between $300,000 to $400,000 from the state for highway improvements. Cities and towns may save the money, known as Chapter 90 funds, but LaCamera said some roads in town now are overdue for repairs.

“There’s some roadwork we need to do...The town didn’t get as much done in 2013 as we wanted to due to storms,” LaCamera said. “We’ll get back on track next summer.” The roads slated for repair are to be determined.

Rochester officials also want to build the town’s commercial tax base by rezoning some land in the center of town.

Selectmen Chair Naida Parker explained the proposal as rezoning a piece of property across the street from the Town Hall Annex on Route 105 from residential to “limited commercial” usage.

Parker said the site once housed a general store. “For more than 100 years, it used to be a stagecoach stop and had apartments over it,” Parker said; however, a fire destroyed the building and the site was rezoned residential thereafter.

Commercial development of the site would lead to more foot traffic in the center of town, Parker said.

“We want to have activity in that part of town and create a ‘village’ feel for the area. We’re also working towards getting sidewalks installed to link up that area with Plumb Corner,” Parker said, adding she hopes the zoning change will be ready for a vote at annual Town Meeting in the spring.

“This is something I’ve wanted to see voters have an opportunity to discuss for years,” she said.

Marion infrastructure

Village road improvements are slated to start after an unexpected delay. The town missed the July 2013 start date when the state agency, MassWorks Infrastructure, failed to approve a grant needed for Ryder Lane, South Street and Spring Street.

The $3.1 million infrastructure project is back on track after Selectmen and local legislators pressured MassWorks this fall.

“We want to see that completed in a timely fashion,” Selectmen Chair Jody Dickerson said. The construction will repair roads, sewers and drainage pipes. Those changes are the first phase of a proposed $18.4 million, 10-year plan to improve infrastructure in town.